OIT Times: NOx Reduction Through Energy Efficiency Targeted in Texas
September 24, 2001
Since Texas is the largest energy using state, firms there are always very interested in how to cut energy use. More recently, says Texas State IOF Executive Director Jerry Matthews of the Texas Energy Coordination Council, firms in his state are also "finding the related topic of NOx reduction to be very hot these days."
"Improving energy efficiency is a very cost-effective strategy for meeting NOx goals, and our firms want to learn all they can. That's a big part of our state IOF focus," he said. Texas IOF recently hosted a conference on how energy efficient methods can achieve NOx reduction goals. Proceedings from that eventnd a host of other information and toolsre available at the program's website (http://texasiof.ces.utexas.edu).
The Texas IOF will also offer a series of workshops related to Best Practices for motors, steam and other energy-intensive plant systems. They will work more closely with the Industrial Assessment Center at Texas A&M to refer interested plants for energy audits. And they will be promoting opportunities for OIT's cost-shared plant-wide assessments strenuously throughout the state.
Texas IOF brought together representatives from industry and the Univ. of Texas-Austin to participate in a roadmap workshop to identify both short- and long-term technology needs. More than 70 participants from the chemical, petroleum refining, forest products and agriculture industries participated in the event.
"Once we finalize our priority list, we'll form teams to solicit R&D support from OIT and other energy-related state and national agencies," said Matthews.
He reports that Texas IOF will start its second SEP grant in January, and the state plans a technology showcase in June 2003. Technologies likely to be featured include robotic tank inspection and pipe analysis technology. In addition, Matthews said "there are a lot of demonstrations of low NOx burners going on, and those are sure to be of high interest."